Wiping the stain

The first weekly 5k Bromley Park Run was measured short by quite a bit. This means the website lists my PB as 23"07. I know this is not a fair time and it bothers me. I have never even managed to break 24"00 despite 14 attempts.

But with my recent performances I think it could be the week. At last weeks Reading Half A couple of the 5k splits were around 24"00.

I prepare exactly the same as I did for the Reading.

I start off well. It is 1k before Martin from the club overtakes me(he has gone near to 20"00 for the run previously)

David does Park Run every week. I regularly used to finish ahead of him, then we were equal and now he regularly beats me. He finally wiped out his short course time a month ago. He is now currently regularly beating 23"00.

I know all the time I am ahead of him I am on track. Each runner I hear coming up behind me I worry is David.

3k in and the muddy, boggy course starts to take its toll and I dig deep. I am not flicking off the surface like on my recent road runs.

At 4k David cruises past.
"negative splits?" I grunt at him. He always runs negative splits. He edges ahead but then remains 20 seconds in front of me.

In the finishing straight I open in to a sprint. I am still on David's tail but not close enough to challenge. As I cross the line I look at my watch and whack the stop button. I think the minutes say 22". I take a second look at the watch. 22"59. It feels terrific.

After the race I tell everyone who will listen the story. I know David understands the joy. The stain is wiped clean.

5k 22"59 (PB)

Canal knowledge

My plan is to run Locketts Rockets on a Thursday for regular interval training. But I'm still in easy mode, rewarding myself for Sunday (well done Andy, still proud of you)

So it's canals, but down past Tower Bridge and towards Wapping and on my own. I still seem to be in form. At a number of points I am running fast and still want more. The faster I run the more I enjoy.

It would be a shame to waste this feeling, so a new 5k best on Saturday at park run is the plan. There is a nasty stain that needs to be removed. But more on that another day.

7.35km avg 5"km but some points faster and lots of traffic lights

Crowd Surfing

The long run season is now over for me. Time to focus on the 5k and 10ks. With some soreness still from Sunday I go for a recovery run.

With no tapering for any upcoming runs I run at the pace I want. My confidence is still sky high from Sunday and so run some of the sections very, very fast. At 1 O'clock the crowds are thronging. Feeling on top form, I am nimble enough to surf through them.

Just The current favourite Thameside route. The GPS let me down in terms of distance / speed.

5.5k @ 5.30"km

Pay Day

The Reading 1/2 was my race for 2010. A winter spent running up mountains in NZ, cold wet damp dark nights, freezing cold runs to work in the snow, lunchtime speed sessions, Hare and Hounds, all for today.

My previous PB for a half marathon was 1:59:34. Last week during the 20 miler, I had covered 13.1 miles 1:53:00. The target was maybe 1:50:00 with the hint of better.

I have never run a sub 50 minute 10k (best is around 52 minutes) The first 10k is dispatched in 49 minutes.

Mile after mile is dispatched under the magic 8 minutes. Surely at some point I must blow? The Nike Frees have focussed my mind on form, so I concentrate on my form, the effort comes naturally.

At 10 miles, a slight wobble in confidence. Surely I can't go sub 1hr45 (A target devised on route as things are going so well). I feel panic developing.
"What would Niall do in this situation?"
Easy, he would probably laugh and then kick. So I laugh and kick. I am back on track with a Niall-like steeliness.

As I enter Reading football stadium I know I have done something great. This is my greatest ever running performance. I sprint the last 200m flat-out. In my mind the crowd noise increases, stunned by my sprint effort.

A totally perfect race in terms of nutrition, clothing, footwear, preparation and pace.

After the finish I have enough time to get the medal and bumf and stroll back to the stadium to sit around the stands for a bit and then clap home my friends.

Sometimes you do get what you deserve,

13.1 miles 1"43:38 (PB)

Not a bad pace with the world on my shoulders....

I'm stressed. Work and Home and stuff. I shouldn't be running today at lunch time as I have the Reading 1/2 on Sunday and after last night's mountain biking. But I'm stressed. I must run. Maybe if I was a Psychiatrist I'd suspect addiction.

Yesterday's route, but in reverse and without the gorgeous Spring day. Also less zooming,though a couple of sprints of Gazelle elegance, because crowds were in my way and I'm angry.

5.4K @ 6"00 / km

Glacial pace please

Still recovering from the weekend but need to be ready for Reading on Sunday. A recovery run as recommended by Mr Savage is on the cards. The route is the familiar Blackfriars-thameside path-Tower of London-London Wall route

With an echo of soreness and some mountain biking planned for the night, it needs to be run:
1: As slow as a teenager tidying their bedroom
2: To quote Blackadder, as slow as an asthmatic ant, with some heavy shopping.

By and large, progress is slow and graceful. I spot a gap in the traffic at the Zebra crossing and zoom! 200m on I am still zooming. I remember the aim and slow down.

Plenty of people are enjoying the spring sunshine. As I dart in between them, I forget to slow down for another 200m

I get overtaken by a runner on the Thames Path by Cannon Street. I let them have their victory without a fight.

It was good to be running again, even more so on the first proper day of spring.

5.2km @6"15 / km

I am the Stig

Today was the Spitfire 20 miler at Dunsfold aerodrome where they film top gear. It is two 10 mile laps round the track and surrounding area with some runners only doing 10 miles. With next week's Reading Half Marathon, there was no way I would be racing. No way at all, not ever. Hypothetically I calculated a very good racing time for me would be 3 hours (This would be in line with my dream of a 4 hour marathon)

10 Miles in, without trying I am well under 1hr30 (around 1hr"26). I start to wonder.

At the 10 mile mark, those running only 10 miles split off and finish. I am just starting to get going. I turn to the runner next to me and joke
"Anyone up for another lap?"
I am enjoying this. The 10 milers look pleased at finishing, and yet I'm going to do it again. Cool.

13.2 miles in and I look at the watch 1"53. My previous best half marathon time is 1"59.55. The race is on.

Suddenly I spot my cycling club taking part in a race, but going the other direction.
"Come on Bigfoot"
The riders look bemused. I keep on running.

As we enter the flat windy Aerodrome with 3 miles to go, someone says
"This is horrible"
I disagree. I am loving every minute of it.
"I'm rather enjoying it. What the alternative? DIY? Arguing with the family"
I smile and zoom off.

1/2 a mile out I say to the Marshall
"How many laps to go?"
She laughs, I don't think everyone is as jovial a this point.

At the finish, I sense someone a long way behind slowly increase their pace. I am feeling cocky, knowing I am on for a more than satisfactory time. I open up. Full tilt. The few people at the finish stop and stare. They can't believe this crazy man opening up into a full sprint after 20 miles.

If it was the marathon, I would need to finish the last 6.2 miles in 1 hour 4 minutes. 10.3 minute miles. Even as I hit the wall, surely I could do this? The 4hr marathon had seemed an attainable long term goal. Now it feels close and familiar. I don't know why I entered this race, maybe it is pointing the way.

20 miles 2hr55"42 (not properly racing, honestly)